Easter Bunny has enjoyed laughs and tears for 26 years

Thursday

Apr 17, 2014 at 10:27 PMApr 18, 2014 at 9:00 AM

He only comes once a year. But when spring rolls around, he may just be the most popular guy in town.

Aline CarambatStaff Writer

He only comes once a year. But when spring rolls around, he may just be the most popular guy in town.Outside of the holiday, it might be difficult to pick resident Easter Bunny Paul Crotchet out of a crowd. However, when he's wearing his fluffy white suit and round bushy tail, there is no mistaking who he is. The 75-year-old father and grandfather has played the role at Southland Mall for seven years now and knows it is no easy task. Each season dozens of eager children and parents line up in front of the colorful storybook setting at the center of the mall to have their pictures taken with the beloved figure. While the heavy costume tends to get a little warm and the large gloves can make holding children difficult, Crotchet's love for children makes it all worthwhile.“The kids are my favorite part of this job,” he said. “I wanted to keep up doing this for them.”Unlike the role of Santa Claus, which Crotchet has played for 26 years, the Easter Bunny is a character of few words. However he admitted both Santa and the bunny have seen their fair share of frightened children. “You just don't talk. Sometimes you might want to say something, but you just keep quiet,” Crotchet said. “We get a lot of scared kids and I can't talk to them so I mostly wave. If I can get them to come close enough to me to pat them or give me a high-five then they see there's nothing to be afraid of.“When I play Santa the kids get to see me, but when I play the Easter Bunny all they get to see is that white rabbit head,” he said. “But you have to be able to get them to smile or laugh at you or you won't be able to win them over.”During the 22 days he's scheduled to take pictures with children, Crotchet works from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday with a one-hour break for lunch, which he usually has with his wife, Barbara. Being the parents of six kids and grandparents of nearly 20, children have always brought joy to the couple's lives. In fact, Crotchet isn't the only bunny in their family. His wife has also played the role.“I played the Easter Bunny for two years,” she said. “I've been Mrs. Claus a couple of times. Just watching the expression on the kids' faces makes it fun.”The couple recalled celebrating the Easter holiday with their own children years ago and how bunny pictures weren't as prevalent back then as they are now. But having all six children together to dye hard-boiled eggs and make baskets is what made the time of year special for them. “Believe it or not, my kids weren't really big on candy,” she added. “I'd watch them take a piece of candy and eat half of it, then throw it away. So I made them fruit baskets instead and they liked that much better.”For the most part, the couple said, now that their children are adults, they spend their time with their grandchildren, especially the ones who live in the area. However, those who live farther away try to come each year to get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny or Santa, which the family looks forward to.Crotchet said he's embraced these holiday roles and isn't looking to retire anytime soon.“This is only something I do seasonally but I enjoy doing it, and I plan on doing this for as long as I can.”

Staff Writer Aline Carambat can be reached at 850-1148 or aline.carambat@houmatoday.com.